The invention relates to an operating device for operating at least one electric device that has one, two or more functional parameters, said operating device comprising a touchscreen and a mechanical operating element.
Operating devices for electric devices are known for numerous applications, for example for the operation of devices in motor vehicles or for audio applications. In motor vehicles, particularly different functional parameters of a radio unit, air conditioning system and/or a navigation device can be actuated and controlled by means of the operating device. The functional parameters of the air conditioning system include, for example, the temperature and the fan speed. With regard to the audio applications, functional parameters such as, for example, values of treble and bass and the dynamics of one or a plurality of instruments can be adjusted on so-called mixing consoles.
The German patent publication DE 10 2006 000 637 A1, which probably constitutes the prior art closest to the invention, describes a display device which has a contactless, sensitive surface. Because the display device allows for a capacitive as well as resistive interpretability, said device is designed to operate one or a plurality of electric devices by contact with or approach to symbols which are displayed on the surface.